Sean Kelly cycling team gets 'stamp of approval'
The team founded by Irish cycling legend Sean Kelly has been given a major lift today with the announcement that it has signed a lucrative sponsorship deal with An Post for the upcoming season.
No details were revealed about the exact amount being pumped into the three year old outfit, but the team says the money will aid attempts to progress to the ProTour circuit.
The team spawned from the Seán Kelly Academy set up in Belgium five years ago and comprises a mix of six Irish cyclists and eight European cyclists from Sweden, Germany, Belgium, and the UK.
Although not strictly the team manager, Kelly has adopted a very hands-on and influential approach to team affairs.
"There are few names that can open doors in the cycling world, but with Séan Kelly it is unbelievable", said team manager Kurt Bogaerts at the announcement of the deal at Dublin's GPO.
"Maybe people in Ireland don't realise it, but in France, Spain and Portugal everybody knows Seán, its great to work for him."
The Sean Kelly team has already made a strong start to 2008 – with a 16th place finish for Cork rider Páidi O'Brien in Argentina's Tour of San Luis in January and seventh place for Benny Deschrooder in France's Etoile Bresseges last weekend.
The team will be competing in Ireland for the first time this May in the FBD Insurance Rás, with the first major event on their calendar this year the Tour of the Algarve which starts on February 20.
